The Opposition on Tuesday took on the Manmohan Singh government in Parliament and sought a statement from it on the WikiLeaks cables, carried by The Hindu, showing the influence exerted by Washington in shaping New Delhi’s foreign policies.

The issue figured in both Houses of Parliament — with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and others raising it in the Rajya Sabha, and Jaswant Singh (BJP) in the Lok Sabha.. Read More

Ostensibly, it was meant for a beleaguered UPA to send a message of renewal, to signal that crony capitalism — the fount of corruption — will not be tolerated and that courting controversy without showing performance doesn’t pay. However, the partial shake-up of the Cabinet hardly stirred anyone today.

The 26-page affidavit filed in the Supreme Court by the Department of Personnel and Training said the law did not require a consensus on the appointment.

The government said Thomas was “fully eligible” for the post, and the “question of (his) suitability” and integrity was strictly the domain of the appointing authority, outside the purview of the Supreme Court in a judicial proceeding.

The Rural Development Ministry is soon expected to issue a notification detailing the payment of minimum wages to various categories of workers, like industrial labourer or agricultural labourer, in tune with inflation, sources said on Wednesday.

“The alliance remains as strong as ever,” said a smiling PM Manmohan Singh a day after CM M Karunanidhi declined to keep an appointment with him. On Sunday night, the rift between Congress and DMK came to the fore with Karunanidhi avoiding a visit to the airport to receive the PM and cancelling a meeting with him. On Monday morning, the two met briefly at Raj Bhavan, presented a picture of camaraderie to the cameras, and assured the media that all was well.

Manmohan Singh indicated they discussed issues ranging from floods in the state to clearance for the Adyar estuary environment project during the 30-minute meeting. Karunanidhi, who was accompanied by DMK MPT R Baalu, said relations between the Congress and DMK were similar to the rapport he shared with the media. Asked about the nature of the discussion, Singh said, “We discussed the flood situation in Tamil Nadu, the Adyar park environment clearances and the DMK alliance.” And as for the status of the alliance, Singh replied, “Well, the alliance remains as strong as ever.” On his part, Karunanidhi said he had urged Singh to release Central funds for relief works in districts affected by monsoon fury last month

The Shiv Sena and the BJP called for a Punebandh on Tuesday to protest against the removal of the Dadoji Konddeo statute from Lal Mahal. Leaders of the two parties said they would not allow any establishments, except the essential services such as hospital and fire brigade, to work on Tuesday between 6 am and 5 pm.

BJP-Sena members and members of some Hindu outfits had been gathering at the Lal Mahal every night after the PMC general body passed a resolution proposed by Congress-NCP to remove the statue from Lal Mahal. After the statue was shifted to the graden on Monday, BJP-Sena leaders organised a morcha to protest the removal of the statue. Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said Sena chief Bal Thakceray and Uddhav Thackeray had given instructions to continue with the agitation till the statue was re-installed at Lal Mahal..

ndia and Russia have set the ball rolling for one of their biggest Defence contracts when they signed an agreement on Tuesday to jointly design a new 5G (fifth generation) combat jet.

The design project is expected to be settled in 18 months at an estimated cost of $295 million, to be shared equally by the two sides, after which India will induct 300 of these aircraft and Russia will treat it as an export variant of its 5G fighter T-50 already under development.

Inducting 300 of these advanced fighters, comparable to F-22 Raptor of the US – the only operational 5G combat jet in the world – means an investment of around $35 billion by India over the next two decades.

“Firstly they do corruption, then they want to decide who should probe into it. This government has lost all moral authority to stay in power,” stated BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay on Dec 20.

Vijay also added to his speech, “It has conducted a loot much larger than the British empire had carried out when it ruled the country.”

Raising question on Congress’ capabilities to be remain on the top of the power of the country, Vijay also added, “The Congress plenary has given enough indications in this (mid-term poll) direction. This government cannot be allowed to stay in power.”

Rebutting prime minister Manmohan Singh‘s statement at the Congress plenary stating that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was competent to probe the 2G telecom scam and that he was willing to present himself before it, BJP national spokesperson Tarun Vijay said that only a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was competent to probe the matter.